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Facility & Operations Q&A with Murray Cook on MLB in Australia

Editor’s note: SportsTurf caught up with global traveler Murray Cook, president of the Sports Turf Services Division of the Brickman Group, former president of the Sports Turf Managers Association, and the international face of field preparation for Major League , to ask ques- tions about his experience preparing the grounds in Australia for MLB’s series last March.

SportsTurf: What is your relationship with MLB? ST: What other projects have you worked on for Cook: I’ve worked for the Commissioner’s office in MLB? varying roles the past 25+ years managing Opening Cook: MLB has played games internationally for Day games and numerous MLB events around the many years and we typically oversee the entire field of  Tom Nicholson, world. Over the past 12 years, the consultation and proj- play operations for those games. In addition we assist with Director of MLB’s ect management services have been provided through new ballpark evaluations and educational clinics related Oceania office, left, with Murray Cook. our Brickman Sportsturf team, which is a division of to field and ballpark maintenance. Field safety is a major Brickman. issue with MLB and the MLBPA.

28 SportsTurf | May 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com We have managed MLB games in numerous countries; when the (now ) played parts of two seasons in I wore a couple hats, Head Groundskeeper/ Stadium Ops at Stadium. We continue to manage this venue’s MLB events including the past in 2013 and Mets series in 2011. MLB also receives requests from international federations to use professional players to compete in international tournaments. Some of those events have been the Olympics and Olympic qualifying games, Baseball World Cups, IBAF tournaments and the World Baseball Classic. Since players’ contracts are owned by MLB clubs, we are responsible for evaluating and managing field of play operations in each of these countries before and during the tournament.

ST: How far in advance of the games in Australia did you begin planning on the work that had to be done? Cook: Planning for the MLB opener in Sydney actually began about 16 months ago. The Sydney Cricket Grounds (SCG) has a storied past rich in history that goes back to the mid 1850's. It is the holy grail of cricket in Australia. Due to our past experience in working with the folks in Australia on projects like the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the Australian baseball league, we had a pretty good idea what it would take to build a there. However, constructing a Major League level field at the SCG we knew would  Laying out field and first harvest of sod from warning track area. be a challenge. Back in 1993 we did play an MLB exhibition series at the Oval in London so understanding a cricket pitch a bit was a huge plus. The challenge of this project was more than just con- ›› Some of the items we needed for the structing a field; we had to create a ballpark. That meant fencing, padding, backstop, batters eye, bullpens, tunnel, locker project became difficult to find and or rooms, dugouts, foul poles, etc. And just to add a twist, we had to create in Australia. One key item to the field get it all completed in 16 days. was locating the infield clay and mound clays.

ST: Share with us what exactly you had to do with the field in Australia and include any especially interesting details or problems match that pits England vs. Australia, which has been going on for that you had to overcome. more than a century. Other key players in the development of the Cook: It’s amazing what great things we can do when no one games include Piers Morgan, Jamie Barkley and Michael Bangle, worries about who gets the credit. The recognition for the success representing SCG Trust. They supported the event throughout the of this historical event belongs to a huge team effort. The vision for process which helped Tom, Scott and I to create something very bringing the game to Australia belongs to Jason Moore (Promoter) special. It's great when the front office has your back. and Tom Nicholson, MLB’s Director of Oceana Operations. The Some of the items we needed for the project became difficult to core players in the project management were Tom Parker, the head find and or create in Australia. One key item to the field was locat- curator, and project manager Scott Egelton. These guys were just ing the infield clay and mound clays. We worked closely with Andy remarkable. From this group we had to assemble the right team McNitt’s lab in the testing of soils to try and find a mix locally and of contractors and vendors. Evergreen, better known as Dad & after numerous tests and blending samples we were at a point of Dave's turf farm, was selected to perform the transition. Graeme, needing to order the clay from the USA. We gave Gail Materials a Mark and Chappo not only had to execute the transition but after call and they helped out with a clay shipment that was transported baseball was through they had to flip it back to NRL rugby in a in 11 containers (220 1-ton sacks). We also needed padding for the week. Back in February 2013, we found that the slope of the pitch fence structure. We engaged Bob and Ken Curry of Covermaster to on the northern end where the infield would be placed would not develop the pads and they had Greg Meeks from Turbo Link come allow us to construct a level infield; therefore a proper mound would over and handle the installation. We found a great terra cotta mix have been difficult to install. In the fall of 2013 the SCG engaged locally for the warning track. Evergreen to level the area and re-sod before took place in The local turf, better known as cooch grass, is a hybrid ber- January. The Ashes event is comparable to MLB’s All Star series. It’s a muda-type turfgrass. We visited Evergreen’s sod farm to see the www.stma.org May 2014 | SportsTurf 29 Facility & Operations

 October 2013 renovation of leveling area where infield would be placed.

"ready-play" sod several times. We had to use the ready-play in front of the dugouts and it was amazing. During cricket season it is mowed at 10 mil and we needed to raise the cut to 23 mm. Since the cricket season didn't end until February 27 we couldn't start until the 28th. The wear on the was extensive and we knew this would be a challenge but in the end it looked pretty good. Once the construction was completed we had to switch to main- tenance mode. Early in the winter we engaged Jim Myrland from Beacon Athletics to assist us with the backstop design and also field maintenance equipment, BP equipment and various materials. Tom Parker's staff of 12 became our core maintenance staff during the games. Their experience in managing the wicket clays was similar to our infield and mound clays; a few of Tom’s guys did not know a great deal about the game of baseball but were eager to learn. Again, they were just awesome. The tarp crew was a group of volunteers, 40 guys in two shifts. These guys were life savers when it came to going above and beyond the call of duty. They were at the park for 16 hours a day taking time off from work and family just to be a part of this historical event. It was really special getting to know some of these guys who were members of local baseball club leagues around Australia.

30 SportsTurf | May 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com On Opening Night a large group of thunderstorms began to we brought over Chad Olsen and Eric Ogden from our Brickman develop to the west of the ballpark and move our way. It had not Sportsturf team and added Darrell Lemmer and Chad Kropff, both of rained in several days so obviously Opening Night was selected whom have helped us on many other international events. In Panama by Mother Nature. The storms shortened batting practice and the we sent Brad Detmore from our team and added Joe Skrabek and pregame show, but we were able to get the game started only a few Dennis Klein. minutes late. When rain threatened we had to cover two areas, the wicket and the infield. The wicket is constructed of materials very ST: What did you learn from the Australian experience that you similar to the ’s mound. It’s a heavy clay product with just can take to your next project? enough organics to grow natural grass. The wicket cover was 100 x Cook: With any major project we always learn so much and see 100 feet and ours was 170 x 170. Because they overlapped at second so many different ways to perform tasks. This event was so special base when they were rolled out, orchestrating the tarp pull was a bit because it was the first time MLB had played a game in the country, of fun. What we knew is that if the wicket was left uncovered during a the first season opener in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first moderate storm we would be in danger of canceling the game because MLB field to be constructed on a cricket pitch. By far, the best part we could not amend the soil to dry it out with any conditioners or it of the project was working with the Australians. Everyone had the would ruin the wicket clays that had been played on for 150 years. "glass half full" attitude even during times that were a bit worrisome for us Americans. We set the bar pretty high and in many cases due ST: What other groundskeepers were instrumental in the Australian to our team efforts exceeded the expectations of the ballclubs and experience? fans. I have met Team Australia's coaching staff on numerous occa- Cook: Our Sydney Sportsturf team was created several months sions. They were so excited to finally see a field constructed in the ago but had to change due to a last minute added an event in Panama. country of this caliber. Before the event we had a couple exhibition The Yankees played two games against the Marlins at Rod Carew games with the Australian National team. During their team bat- Stadium and that caused us reach out and find a few more guys since ting practice they allowed some of their family members to take BP the two events were happening almost at the same time. In Sydney and catch balls on the outfield. Australia Team Manager Jon Deeble

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said, ‘This may be the only time some of these Photo by Murray Cook. players and their families may ever play or see a field this nice in our country so we are hav- ing an Aussie baseball family BP. ’

ST: What is your next project? Cook: Well there are several potential events in the works but I really can't share that info however we know that MLB international and the Commissioner’s office are devoted to growing the game worldwide. Next year we will start the World Baseball Classic qualifier venue evaluations. The Toronto will take place next year and this is playing on a couple new fields. This year we will have a series in Canada and . We do several sets of field maintenance clinics each year. My heart has always been to give back and I truly enjoy sharing what I have learned and more importantly learning from others at these clinics. It's an exciting time for baseball with a great potential to get back in the 2020 Olympics in Japan. ■

32 SportsTurf | May 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com